Gambling is one of the most popular free-time activities in many corners of the globe, which can be seen by the popularity of searches for online bookmakers. However, it is also habit-forming, and some people just can’t stay away from casinos, no matter whether they’re winning or losing. This created many “quick tips” books that promise the knowledge on how to “cheat the system and earn lots of easy money”. Some might even not be considered cheating, such as using a Betin promo code when you create an account at the Betin bookmaker, and others can be very risky. But, we are not here to talk about those gambling books. Instead, this article will focus on some of the best fiction novels about casinos and the world of gambling in general.
Casino Royale by Ian Fleming
The first book about the secret agent 007 was published in 1953 under the name Casino Royale. It’s a classic spy novel that tells a story of James Bond, a top agent in the British secret service. While the book is not exactly about gambling, the greatest part of it does take place in a French casino, where 007 encounters Le Chiffre, the novel’s main villain and a Russian spy.
The House Always Wins by Brian Rouff
This is the newest book on our list, published for the first time in 2017. The House Always Wins is a story about Anna Christiansen, a woman from a small town who decides to pull up stakes and move to Las Vegas. After getting married, Anna buys an old house and comes into a clash with the corrupt casino owner that wants to buy her property.
Casino: Love and Horror in Las Vegas by Nicholas Pileggi
Many books and movies explored the connection between gambling houses and organized crime, but Casino by Nicholas Pileggi is one of the best ones. In this book, the author covers the subject of mafia-controlled casinos in Las Vegas in the ‘70s and ‘80s. It’s a story about Frank Rosenthal and Anthony Spilotro, two mafia members operating a well-known casino through their illegal operations. The book came as an inspiration for Martin Scorsese’s movie Casino from 1995.
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas by Hunter S. Thompson
Technically, this is not a story about casinos and gambling as much as it is about two drug-induced people in “the search for the American Dream”. Raoul Duke, the book’s protagonist, is a journalist with a task to report on the Mint 400 motorcycle race taking place in the Mojave desert. He brings his lawyer Dr. Gonzo with him, and the two go on a drug frenzy throughout the city. While the book, and later the movie starring Johnny Depp, doesn’t tell much about casinos, it does speak great volume about the sinful Las Vegas culture in the ‘70s.
